North Bay Artisan and Farmstead Cheesemaking Resources
A partial listing of artisan cheesemaking resources
BOOKS
Books about cheesemaking
Home Cheesemaking by Ricki Carroll
The self-described “cheese queen,” Ricki has helped hundreds of commercial artisan cheesemakers get their start
with her simple, easy-to-use instructions, recipes, and advice. This book is an indispensable guide to home cheesemaking. http://www.amazon.com/Home-Cheese-Making-Recipes-Delicious/dp/1580174647/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qi
d=1305648437&sr=8-1
Artisan Cheesemaking at Home by Mary Karlin
A contemporary guide to making 100 artisan cheeses at home. Mary covers recipes from classic favorites to popular, modern varieties, plus two dozen cooking recipes. http://www.artisancheesemakingathome.com/
American Farmstead Cheese: The Complete Guide to Making and Selling Artisan Cheeses by Paul Kindstedt
More advanced than the previous book, Kindstedt includes in-depth science as well as advice about business strategies. This book offers sound cheesemaking advice in an easy-to-use, accessible format.
http://www.amazon.com/American-Farmstead-Cheese-Complete-Selling/dp/1931498776/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=bo
oks&qid=1303700762&sr=1-4
The Cheesemakers Manual by Margaret Morris
A very detailed manual from Canadian Margaret Morris, who also consults with commercial cheesemakers. http://
www.amazon.com/Cheesemakers-Manual-Margaret-P-Morris/dp/0973236604/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=
1303700442&sr=1-3
200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes: From Cheddar and Brie to Butter and Yogurt by Debra Amrein-Boyes
Just as the title describes. Available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/200-Easy-Homemade-Cheese-Recipes/
dp/0778802183
Making Artisan Cheese: Fifty Fine Cheeses That You Can Make in Your Own Kitchen by Tim Smith (Quarry Book S.)
More recipes. Available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Artisan-Cheese-Cheeses-Kitchen/
dp/1592531970/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303700762&sr=1-2
Cheese and Fermented Milk Foods (2 volume set) by Frank Y. Kosikowski
The bible of cheesemaking by the father of the American Cheese Society and distinguished professor of dairy science at Cornell University. Detailed, technical, and very interesting but not for the small batch home cheesemaker.
http://www.amazon.com/Cheese-Fermented-Milk-Foods-set/dp/0965645606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=13
03700516&sr=1-1
Books about Setting up a Cheese Business
Artisan & Farmstead Cheeses: A Guide to Building a Business by Barbara Reed
This essential, unique, and comprehensive book explains how to launch a cheese making business . It offers invaluable information on business planning, marketing, and government regulation; nowhere else will one find such
useful worksheets and links to key sources needed for success. University of California ANR Publications.
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/ This book is brand-new and will be available by July 2011.
The Farmstead Creamery Advisor: The complete Guide to Building and Running A Small, Farm-Based Cheese
Business by Gianaclis Caldwell
A nuts-and-bolts, no-nonsense, and essential guide for anyone curious about starting a farmstead dairy. http://
www.amazon.com/Farmstead-Creamery-Advisor-Complete-Farm-Based/dp/1603582215/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=U
TF8&qid=1303700516&sr=1-2
Establishing a Cheesemaking Facility in Marin County by Lisa Bush, Steve Quirt and Elie Rilla
This hand-out provides a basic overview of what’s necessary to build and permit a cheese plant in Marin. Available
online at: http://groups.ucanr.org/GIM/Resources_from_Workshops/
Books about Local Cheese Companies
Explore the Sonoma-Marin Cheese Trail Map
This map is available at North Bay cheese retail outlets and online at: http://cheesetrail.org/
The Guide to West Coast Cheese by Sasha Davies
This author describes the 43 artisan and farmstead cheeses currently made in California as well as other cheeses
in Oregon, and Washington. Available online at: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-West-Coast-Cheese-Handcrafted/
dp/1604690909
Books about cheesemaking in general
Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager by Max McCalman
A full master’s course in a book, Mastering Cheese covers the world of cheese in 22 distinct lessons, featuring tasting plates that deliciously demonstrate key topics. http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Cheese-Lessons-Connoisseurship-Fromager/dp/0307406482/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_3
On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee
A classic tome of gastronomic science and lore, including cheese. http://www.amazon.com/Food-Cooking-ScienceLore-Kitchen/dp/0684800012/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304966710&sr=8-1
The New American Cheese by Laura Werlin
This book takes the reader through the evolution of cheese making in America: how cheese is made; the health
factors; how to taste, buy, and store cheese; how to serve cheese alone and with wine; and how to cook with cheese.
http://www.amazon.com/New-American-Cheese-Laura-Werlin/dp/1556709900/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_5
SUPPLIES
J&M Brewing Supplies, LLC. Just opened in Novato at 101 Roblar Drive, carrying supplies for making beer, wine,
cheese and other dairy items at home, and hosting classes in homebrewing and cheesemaking. (415) 883-7300.
Dairy Connection, Inc. http://www.dairyconnection.com, located in Madison, WI., is a supplier for the home
& hobbyist cheesemaker as well as commercial specialty & small cheese manufacturers. The products listed in
their on-line catalog include a wide variety of cultures as well as other ingredients and equipment needed to make
cheeses and fermented milks.
New England Cheesmaking Supply Company. New England Cheesemaking Supply Company (http://www.
cheesemaking.com/) is a great resource for supplies, kits, and everything the aspiring home cheesemaker could ever
want. Owned by Ricki Carroll, author of Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Homemade Cheeses.
Glenngarry Cheesemaking Supplies, Margaret Morris’s Canadian-based company (http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/) is a useful source for supplies, recipes and advice for home and professional cheesemakers.
CHEESEMAKING CLASSES
Artisan and Farmstead Cheesemaking Resource List UC Cooperative Extension, http://cemarin.ucdavis.edu 5/17/11
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College of Marin Artisan Cheesemaking Certificate Program. http://www.marin.edu/communityeducation.
The Artisan Cheesemaking Program at Indian Valley College trains beginning cheesemakers in the art and science
of making artisan cheese. Through lectures and hands-on workshops with experienced cheese professionals, students will gain the knowledge and skill needed to identify, evaluate, and produce artisan cheese. This pilot program
is being developed in collaboration with the California Artisan Cheese Guild.
Cal Poly Dairy Science and Technology Basics for the Farmstead/Artisan Cheesemaker. Cal Poly offers a fourday intensive for dairy farmers or those interested in learning the applied science and technology basics needed to
understand and produce high quality farmstead cheeses. No previous cheese making experience required. http://
www.calpoly.edu/~dptc/farmstea.html#
The Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center is dedicated to dairy foods research, technology transfer, and
education. Cal Poly has been one of the primary training campuses for people entering or in dairy foods industry
careers in California. http://www.calpoly.edu/~dptc/
Washington State University Creamery, located in Pullman, provides teaching and research opportunities to the
university community and to the dairy industry, exceptional work experience to student employees who make
their famous Cougar Gold. The creamery offers ongoing cheesemaking workshops to commercial and professional
cheemakers as well as novices. http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/
Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (VIAC), housed at the University of Vermont, provides education, research,
technical services, and public service to increase knowledge, appreciation, and expansion of artisan cheese. The
Institute supports artisan cheese producers in Vermont and throughout the United States, contributes to the latest scientific research and expertise related to dairy and cheese products, and encourages the sustainability of the
small-farm culture in Vermont and other rural landscapes. http://nutrition.uvm.edu/viac/
Wisconsin Dairy Business Innovation Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to growing specialty,
farmstead and artisan dairy processing businesses in Wisconsin. Their website has useful information for California artisan cheesemakers. http://www.dbicusa.org/
The Beverage People, Santa Rosa (http://www.thebeveragepeople.com/), offers a variety of cheesemaking classes for
the home cheesemaker.
The Cheese School of San Francisco (http://www.cheeseschoolsf.com/) offers cheese appreciation classes and professional cheesemonger seminars.
LOCAL DAIRY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS
Check with your neighboring dairy operator or cheesemaker about whom they would recommend. Also check
with John Macy or Nancy Ahern, CDFA Dairy Inspectors for the North Coast area. jmacy@cdfa.ca.gov or
nahern@cdfa.ca.gov
EQUIPMENT
These companies were most often mentioned during interviews with North Bay commercial cheesemakers in 2010
as suppliers of used and new vats, and dairy supplies, and equipment.
C. van ‘t Riet Dairy Technology USA. http://www.schuller.us/, Glenngarry Dairy Supply. http://glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/, and Qualtech. http://www.qualtech.ca/
DAIRY ANIMALS:
Dairy Sheep Association of North America
This group serves the interests of all current or future sheep dairy producers, artisanal farmstead cheese producers,
sellers, suppliers, industry professionals, and academic researchers with an interest in sheep dairying, dairy genetics, sheep milk cheese production, etc. www.dsana.org
Artisan and Farmstead Cheesemaking Resource List UC Cooperative Extension, http://cemarin.ucdavis.edu 5/17/11
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American Dairy Goat Association
The ADGA has been serving the dairy goat industry since 1904. With over one million animals registered since
the Association was organized, they are the largest and fastest growing dairy goat organization and registry in the
United States. http://www.adga.org/
California Jersey Cow Association
http://jerseysites.usjersey.com/californiajerseys/members.htm
CHEESE ORGANIZATIONS
American Cheese Society
http://www.cheesesociety.org/
See their pages on Industry Resources:
http://www.cheesesociety.org/i-heart-cheese/industry-resources/
California Artisan Cheese Guild
http://www.cacheeseguild.org/
TRADE PUBLICATIONS
Cheese Market News
www.cheesemarketnews.com
Culture Magazine
www.culturecheesemag.com
Dairy Foods
www.dairyfoods.com
The Cheese Reporter
www.cheesereporter.com
Cheese Connoisseur Magazine
http://www.cheeseconnoisseur.com/
ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL EVENTS:
Califorina’s Artisan Cheese Festival
In it’s 5th year, the festival held annually in late March at the Sheraton in Petaluma boasts 2,000 participants tasting
and learning about hundreds of artisan cheese types from 20 artisan and farmstead cheesemakers from California
and the west coast. http://www.artisancheesefestival.com/
Epicurean Connection
Sheana Davis—chef, cheese maker, caterer, culinary educator, and owner of the The Epicurean Connection Shop—
has been enthusiastically supporting the artisan and farmstead cheese movement for 20 years. She organizes an
annual conference packed with great speakers and information for both novice and polished cheesemakers alike.
http://www.sheanadavis.com/
OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES
American Cheese Society’s Social Network: Cheese Wire
http://americancheesesociety.ning.com/
Prepared by Ellie Rilla and Lisa Bush, May 2011. More information about diversifying your operation is available at the Grown
in Marin site under Resources for Farmers, at http://www.growninmarin.org or by calling the UCCE Farm Advisors Office at
415/499-4204.
Artisan and Farmstead Cheesemaking Resource List UC Cooperative Extension, http://cemarin.ucdavis.edu 5/17/11
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